Interactive video programming methods

ABSTRACT

An entertainment head-end provides broadcast programming, video-on-demand services, and HTML-based interactive programming through a distribution network to client terminals in subscribers&#39; homes. A number of different features are provided, including novel user interfaces, enhanced video-on-demand controls, a variety of interactive services (personalized news, jukebox, games, celebrity chat), and techniques that combine to provide user experiences evocative of conventional television.

RELATED APPLICATION DATA

[0001] The subject matter of this application is generally related tothat disclosed in the following applications filed contemporaneouslyherewith:

[0002] Proxy for Video on Demand Server Control (Bruck et al); Methodand System for Presenting Television Programming and InteractiveEntertainment (White et al); and

[0003] Video on Demand Methods and Systems (White et al).

[0004] The subject matter of this application is also generally relatedto the subject matter of application Ser. No. 09/153,577, filed Sep. 15,1998.

[0005] The disclosures of these related applications are incorporated byreference.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The World Wide Web has made available a great deal of “content”to computer users having an internet connection. However, such contentis not otherwise available, e.g. to cable television subscribers.Moreover, the content available on the Web is relatively impoverished inproduction and presentation, as compared with sophisticated televisionproductions familiar to the public.

[0007] The present invention seeks to redress various of these failingsof the prior art. For example, in one aspect, the invention provides avideo entertainment system in which conventional television programmingand novel interactive entertainment are presented in an integratedfashion, with the user being able to seamlessly switch from one to theother without a disruptive change in context or in productionsophistication. Illustrative interactive entertainment includes channelsproviding customized news, celebrity chat, games, and jukebox services.

[0008] The foregoing and other features and advantages of the presentinvention will be more readily apparent from the following detaileddescription, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an interactive video system that canbe used in accordance with the present invention.

[0010]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the entertainment head-end of FIG. 1.

[0011]FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a client terminal of FIG. 1.

[0012]FIG. 4 is an illustration of a video-on-demand selection screen.

[0013]FIG. 5 is an illustration of a user interface permitting a user tocontrol playback of an on-demand video.

[0014]FIG. 6 is an illustration of a screen display on a NEWS viewerchannel.

[0015]FIG. 7 is an illustration of a screen display on a CELEBRITY CHATviewer channel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary interactive video system 10includes a entertainment head-end 12 and one or more client terminals 14intercoupled through a network 16.

[0017] The network 16 typically comprises coaxial cable or optical fiber18, extending from the head-end 12 to distribution nodes 20 withinvarious neighborhoods. From the distribution nodes, further cables 22couple to individual subscriber premises.

[0018] As detailed in the companion application entitled Proxy for Videoon Demand Server Control, filed herewith, the network can include one ormore proxy servers 24. These are computers interposed between thehead-end 12 and the client terminals 14 to perform various systemcontrol and user interface (UI) functions.

[0019] The proxy server 24 is interposed in a logical TCP/IP controlchannel 27 between the head-end and clients. While the control signalsand the entertainment are physically conveyed on the same cable 18, theyare shown separately in FIG. 1 for conceptual clarity.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 2, the entertainment head-end 12 includes thecomponents typically associated with a cable television head-endinstallation, e.g. satellite receivers 26 for receiving satellitebroadcasts and producing corresponding baseband analog video signals.Additionally, head-end 12 includes fast digital disk arrays and/oroptical storage 28 for storage of MPEG-encoded digital video foron-demand delivery. Head-end 12 also includes one or more interactiveservices servers 30, which output HTML-based programming (e.g.customized news, celebrity chat, interactive jukebox, and interactivegames), as further detailed below. In systems not employing proxyservers 24, the head-end additionally includes a control computer 32that receives and transmits control data relating to systemadministration (e.g. channel assignment data, billing information,etc.).

[0021] The transmission of these various forms of data from the head-endover the network 16 is straightforward. As is familiar to those skilledin the video arts, the analog video is commonly distributed on 6 MHzchannels, beginning at 52 MHz and extending upwardly. The digital videocan be encoded on a carrier for transmission within one of theseconventional broadcast channels, or can be modulated at one or moreother un-used frequencies. Statistical multiplexing is desirablyemployed to transmit plural channels of digitized video with reducedbandwidth. The HTML-based interactive services and the control data canbe transmitted using a conventional protocol (e.g. TCP/IP) and modulatedonto a suitable carrier frequency for distribution over the network. Orsuch data can be transmitted in the vertical blanking interval of analogvideo broadcasts, as is well known.

[0022] After modulation to appropriate distribution frequencies bymodulators 34, the various signals from the head-end are combined by anRF combiner 36 for distribution over the network 16.

[0023] Each client terminal 14 is an enhanced WebTV terminal thatincludes a CPU 38, RAM memory 40, non-volatile memory 42, a displayscreen 44, display driver circuitry 46, a speaker 48 with an associatedaudio stage 50, a remote control 52, an infrared interface 54, a userinterface (UI) 56, a dial-up interface 58, a cable interface 60, and anMPEG decoder 62 (FIG. 3). (The artisan is presumed familiar with WebTVterminals from their many descriptions in the patent and technicalliterature, and their widespread availability/use.)

[0024] The CPU 38 can be any of several microprocessors, e.g. thoseavailable from Intel, AMD, Cyrix, Motorola, etc. Alternatively, the CPUcan be a custom device that optionally integrates one or more of theother components of terminal 14.

[0025] The RAM memory 40 typically comprises 8 or 16 K of EDO memory,but more or less memory, and/or memory of differing type, canalternatively be used.

[0026] The non-volatile memory 42 in the illustrated embodiment includesa ROM, EEPROM, or flash memory in which certain components of theoperating system and applications software are stored. Additionally, theillustrated non-volatile memory 42 includes 4 GB of magnetic diskstorage.

[0027] Display screen 44 is a CRT of the type conventionally used inconsumer televisions, and display driver circuitry 46 serves to providethe excitation signals needed by the CRT, in accordance with input videodata provided thereto.

[0028] Speaker 48 and audio stage 50 are the audio counterparts to thevideo display screen and driver circuitry. Desirably, these stagescomprise high fidelity speakers and a suitable amplifier, together withaudio-synthesis circuitry corresponding to the digital data format bywhich audio data is transmitted. (For the JUKEBOX service, detailedbelow, the audio may be transmitted in the MPC3 format, in which casethe MPEG decoder 62 may be employed for decoding.)

[0029] Remote control 52, and corresponding IR interface 54, aregenerally conventional, and serve to relay user commands to the terminalin accordance with user manipulation of buttons on the remote control52.

[0030] The dial-up interface 58 in the illustrated embodiment is amodem, coupled to a telephone line. Various different modems andcommunication links can be used.

[0031] The cable interface 60 receives composite data signals from thenetwork 16 and separates them into three general signal types: analogvideo (typically corresponding to broadcast television programming),digital video (typically corresponding to on-demand video programming),and HTML/control instructions (the former typically corresponding toother interactive services, the latter being instructions exchangedbetween the client terminal 14 and the head-end 12, a proxy server 24,or a neighborhood node 20). Included in the cable interface 60 is an RFtuner section controlled by the CPU. The illustrated MPEG decoder 62 isan application-specific integrated circuit that converts the MPEG videostream into successive frames of video data.

[0032] The user interface 56 in the illustrated embodiment refers tovarious on-screen visual displays through which—in conjunction with theremote control 52—the user can effect various choices. One of these isswitching viewing channels. (As detailed below, switching viewingchannels does not necessarily effect a corresponding retuning of the RFtuner portion of the cable interface 60.) Although illustratedseparately for clarity, those skilled in the art will understand thatthe user interface 56 is typically realized as instructions stored inRAM memory 40

[0033] The operation of the system is first described with reference tothe video-on-demand service. To view an on-demand video, the user firsttunes the client terminal 14 to a predetermined channel, the “VIDEOchannel.”

[0034] Here a distinction should be drawn between two types of“channels.” The first, termed a “transmission channel,” refers to anactual frequency channel (e.g. 52-58 MHz) that is used to relayprogramming from the head-end 12 to the client terminal 14 over thenetwork 16. The second, termed a “viewer channel,” refers to the moniker(e.g. MSNBC, CNN, GAME, CHAT, VIDEO, FAVORITES) by which a userdistinguishes different programming. The mapping between viewer andtransmission channels is determined by the system (e.g. by the terminal14, the head-end 12, or a proxy server 24).

[0035] The VIDEO channel is a viewer channel—it is the channel to whichthe viewer switches to receive video on demand programming. Thefrequency over which this programming is delivered is not important tothe viewer. Different transmission channels may be available for use atdifferent times, depending system resource usage (e.g. other viewers'video-on-demand usage). One day the 108-114 MHz transmission channelmight be used to relay on-demand video to a subscriber. The next day,the 114-120 MHz transmission channel might be used instead. Dataindicating the assignment of transmission channels-to-viewer channels isperiodically relayed as control data among the components of the system10.

[0036] On the VIDEO channel, the user is presented an introductory UIscreen 64 of the sort shown in FIG. 4. This screen includes fourcomponents: a topical listing of movie categories 66; a feature 68permitting the user to search a database of available videos by title,actor, director, keywords, etc; a promotion 70 of one of more featuredvideo titles; and other advertising 72. This screen is defined by HTMLprimitives sent over the network 16, as rendered by the client terminal14. In the illustrated embodiment, the HTML primitives associated withthe video selection screen 64 are sent from the proxy server 24.

[0037] The viewer manipulates arrow keys on the remote control 52 tohighlight the feature of interest, e.g. a particular topical category.(Highlighting here refers to a visual indicia showing that a particularscreen feature, or hyperlink, has been selected for execution. Variousforms of highlighting can be used, e.g. a change in color of thefeature, a colored box surrounding the feature, etc.) After a desiredfeature has been selected, a “Go” button on the remote control ispressed, signaling the user's selection to the terminal 14.

[0038] If the “KIDS” category was highlighted, the system next presentsa screen listing available children's movies (again defined by HTML fromthe proxy server). Again, the viewer manipulates the remote control toselect a particular choice, and then presses “Go.” At this point, anoptional screen can be presented confirming billing arrangements (ifany).

[0039] Once a final video selection has been made, a video control panelUI 74 (FIG. 5) is presented on the screen. In the illustratedembodiment, this panel is translucent, permitting the viewer to perceiveimagery “behind” the overlaid panel. (That is, the panel is rendered asa change in luminance of the underlying imagery.) The exemplary videocontrol panel 74 of FIG. 5 includes PLAY, STOP, REWIND, FAST FORWARD,and PAUSE buttons 76A-E. (Additionally, the panel can have a textual orgraphical indication 78 of the time remaining in the selected video.)The PLAY button is initially highlighted.

[0040] While the control panel is being rendered at the client (fromHTML primitives stored in the non-volatile memory 42), the head-endqueues the selected MPEG video for playback, and the system (either thehead-end 12 or a proxy server 24) selects an available transmissionchannel. Data indicating the selected channel is relayed to the clientterminal 14, which tunes the RF tuner in the cable interface 60 withoutany user action. The viewer channel, in contrast, remains unchanged atthe VIDEO channel.

[0041] To play the selected video, the user simply presses the “Go”button on the remote control 52, activating the initially-highlightedPLAY button 76A on the control panel 74. A corresponding instruction issent to the head-end 12, and video delivery commences. The on-screenvideo control panel 74 disappears.

[0042] If, during playback, the user wishes to stop or pause delivery ofthe on-demand video (e.g. to answer the telephone, or get a snack fromthe kitchen), a “Menu” button on the remote control is pressed. Thevideo control panel 74 reappears, this time with the STOP buttonhighlighted. If the user wishes to stop playback, the “Go” button on theremote is pressed. If the user wishes to pause playback, thehighlighting on the control panel is moved to the PAUSE button usingarrow keys on the remote control, and the “Go” button is then pressed. Acorresponding stop or pause instruction is then sent to the head-end 12from the client terminal 14, interrupting MPEG delivery.

[0043] A data record is stored—either at the client, at the head-end, orat a proxy server—indicating the point of video interruption (e.g. bySMPTE code, disk address, time offset, etc.) so that playback can beresumed from that point (or shortly before that point, to providecontext).

[0044] When either the STOP or PAUSE button is activated on the panel74, the panel 74 persists on the screen, but the highlighting isswitched back to PLAY. (If the PAUSE button is used to resume playbackfollowing a pause instruction, and the user activates the PAUSE buttonto interrupt the video, the highlighting can remain at the PAUSEbutton.) This arrangement permits the viewer to resume playback simplyby pressing “Go” on the remote, since the button that resumes playbackis already highlighted. (The panel similarly persists on-screen if theREWIND or FAST FORWARD buttons is activated, with PLAY nexthighlighted.)

[0045] The screen can be put to various uses while the video isinterrupted. Examples include presentation of quizzes and otherentertainment to viewers who may still be in the viewing room. Anindication of waiting email, or commercial or promotional messages, cansimilarly be presented.

[0046] If the stop in playback is brief, the system 10 maintains theassignment of the transmission channel to that video on demand client14, despite the interruption in video delivery. However, if theinterruption period exceeds a threshold value (e.g. ten minutes), thesystem returns the assigned transmission channel back to the system'spool of available transmission channels. The channel may then beassigned to another use. If the user thereafter resumes playback bypressing “Go” on the remote (PLAY was already highlighted), the systemresponds by dynamically assigning a new transmission channel, retuningthe client's RF tuner and the head-end's modulator accordingly, andresuming playback from (or just before) the point of interruption.

[0047] A similar sequence occurs if the user changes to another viewerchannel during playback of an on-demand video (e.g. changing to MSNBC tocheck a sports score). The system interrupts delivery of the on-demandvideo (e.g. in response to an instruction or notification sent by theclient), and a record indicating the point of MPEG interruption isstored. If the user returns to the VIDEO viewer channel within apredetermined period (e.g. 24 hours), the system resumes transmission ofthe video from the point of interruption. (No user action, e.g. pressingPLAY, is required—no video control panel is presented in this scenario.)Again, the resumed transmission may occur over a different transmissionchannel, but this detail is transparent to the user.

[0048] The illustrated system includes an electronic program guide thatcan be selectively displayed on-screen to facilitate viewer programselection. Electronic program guides are familiar to those skilled inthe art, so are not belabored here. Exemplary program guides are shown,e.g., in U.S. patents and allowed applications U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,815,5,758,258, 5,585,838, 5,654,748, 5,526,036, Ser. Nos. 08/969,979 and08/968,386 (the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference).Desirably, when an on-demand video is selected, the title of the videoappears in the electronic program guide, in association with the VIDEOviewer channel. Additionally, an indication of the time-remaining in theselected video can also be displayed, e.g. as a numeric hour:minuterepresentation, or as a block that extends in a gridded program guidefor a distance corresponding to the remaining time. (Data specifying theselected video title and the remaining time is stored in one or more ofthe components of system 10 and can be inserted into the program guideas appropriate.)

[0049] This listing of an on-demand video amidst broadcast televisionprogramming in an electronic program guide contributes to userperception of on-demand video as just another channel. It is desirableto present all video services in this television-like paradigm so as topresent a seamless, familiar experience to new users.

[0050] Providing a television-like interaction for on-demand video isone thing; extending that experience to HTML-based video services isanother. In the following discussion, several different HTML-basedservices are described. Various techniques are employed in such servicesto contribute to a television-like experience.

[0051] One technique is to make the screen look like a televisionscreen. Computer displays typically have an image area bounded bystraight edges. Since the edge of the CRT tube is typically not straightbut is slightly curved, there is commonly a thin black margin at some orall of the edges of computer monitors. The display does not extend intothis marginal area lest it render another part of the image off-screen.Television displays, in contrast, are not so concerned with renderingaccuracy. Instead, the emphasis is on providing the largest apparentimage size. Accordingly, the screen is typically overscanned—with atleast certain scan line ends extending beyond the visible portion of thescreen. Accordingly, one technique to yield a more television-likeexperience when displaying HTML-rendered graphics is to deliberatelyoverscan the screen.

[0052] A related technique is to avoid displays that are larger than theviewing screen. Many “pages” on the world wide web require “scrolling”to view portions extending off the bottom of the screen. While this is afamiliar operation for web-surfers, it is wholly foreign to televisionviewers and is desirably avoided.

[0053] Another technique for enhancing the television-like appearance ofHTML graphics is to employ production techniques and values evocative oftelevision programming. For example, fades, dissolves, and wipes arevideo transition effects that viewers routinely encounter in televisionprogramming. However, they are used rarely—if at all—in HTMLproductions. Their use in the interactive services detailed belowcontributes to a television-like experience.

[0054] Yet another integrating technique is to list the interactiveservices (e.g. GAMES, CELEBRITY CHAT, JUKEBOX, NEWS) in the system'selectronic program guide simply as additional channels, amidst the otherchannels familiar to viewers (e.g. network broadcast channels and cablechannels).

[0055] By techniques such as these, viewers encounter interactive videoentertainment and conventional television programming in a seamless,familiar context. This is important because, as will be evident from thefollowing discussion, interactive video entertainment itself can bequite different from conventional TV.

[0056] Interactive entertainment encompasses a wide range of content.Some forms have antecedents in other contexts or media. Other forms arewholly new. A few examples will serve to illustrate the wide range ofpossibilities.

[0057] A first exemplary interactive video service is a jukebox. When auser first switches to the JUKEBOX viewer channel, a user interface akinto the video selection UI 74 is presented on-screen. However, instead ofpermitting selection of movies, it permits selection of music (e.g. bygenre, artist, title, etc.). Selected music can then be played throughthe terminal's audio speakers 48 using similar procedures and playbackUI as detailed earlier for playback of on-demand video. As before, ifthe user switches away from the JUKEBOX viewer channel, playback of theselected audio is interrupted and a pointer is stored indicating thepoint at which the selection should be resumed.

[0058] During playback, rather than let the display screen 44 sit idle,it is desirably used in conjunction with the selected music. It may, forexample, present a music video to accompany the selected audiorecording. Or it may present information related to the selection, e.g.artist biography, critic reviews, listings of other recordings of thesame selection by different artists, the artist's upcoming concernschedule, etc. It may also allow the user to purchase the music, whetheron CD or otherwise. (All such options can be hot-linked to other screensof HTML data, as is conventional on the world wide web.)

[0059] Desirably, the system monitors the user's musical selections, andautomatically compiles a profile of the user's preferences (e.g. bygenre, artist, etc.). Alternatively, the user can explicitly define hisor her preferences. (As with other data stored in distributed system 10,the user's jukebox preferences can be stored in the client terminal, ata proxy server, or at the head-end, or distributed therebetween.) Whenthe user thereafter returns to the JUKEBOX viewer channel, a selectionmenu configured to focus on these preferences can be presented. (Thefocused selection menu also includes the option of returning to thegeneral, all-encompassing music selection screen.)

[0060] A second exemplary interactive service is NEWS. This viewerchannel delivers personalized news information in a television-likeformat. The channel is organized like CNN Headline News, with a smallnumber of news categories that are continuously cycled-through severaltimes an hour. Categories can include, e.g., headlines, sports, weather,traffic, and financial. The presentations in each category can be static(e.g. text articles), but more typically include streaming videoexcerpts.

[0061] An exemplary presentation of NEWS is shown in FIG. 6. In additionto showing part of the current Headline category, the screen 80 givesthe user the option of switching immediately to any other category(sports, weather, or stocks in the illustrated screen). Again, suchselection is made by the user with arrow keys on the remote control, bymoving highlighting to the desired choice and pressing the “Go” button.

[0062] As with the JUKEBOX channel, the NEWS channel allows the viewerto define and store personal news preferences (e.g. a selected ticker ofstock prices, Chicago Cubs news, weather for Chicago, etc.). If localclient disk storage permits, all news is downloaded and stored, in aFIFO basis, in disk storage allocated thereto. This locally-stored newsis then filtered in accordance with the viewer's preferences fordisplay. This arrangement allows the user to change preferences andapply the new preferences to recently downloaded news.

[0063] As in the earlier-described embodiments, state data indicatingthe status of the NEWS channel can be stored whenever the user switchesto another viewer channel, so that the NEWS channel can resume at thepoint of interruption.

[0064] A third illustrated interactive channel is CELEBRITY CHAT. Thisviewer channel presents different celebrities with which participantscan chat in a moderated dialog. The celebrities are scheduled atspecific times, much like conventional TV talks shows.

[0065] In the illustrated arrangement, viewers compose typed questionson a keyboard optionally provided with the client terminal, and sendthem e-mail fashion to a moderator of the CELEBRITY CHAT channel. Themoderator (human or automated) selects questions of widespread appealand poses them to the celebrity. The posed questions, and thecelebrity's responses, are distributed to all viewers of the CELEBRITYCHAT channel over the cable network. (By this arrangement, the dial-uptelephone link is activated only briefly—when the user-composed questionis emailed to the moderator—saving dial-up charges.)

[0066] A user interface 82 associated with the CELEBRITY CHAT channel isshown in FIG. 7. In this embodiment, the chat is presented in typedform. (In other embodiments, of course, streaming audio/video can beemployed to present the moderator and the celebrity in their dialog.This can be supplemented by other textual or multi-media presentationsrelated to the celebrity, e.g. music video, movie clips, biographicaldata, etc.) At the bottom of the screen is an Ask Question feature 84that can be activated (as before, with arrow keys and the “Go” button onthe remote control) to permit entry of the e-mail question in a box 86.After typing the question, the user hits Return on the keyboard. Thisterminates entry of the question, and activates the dial-up connectionthrough which the question is transmitted to the moderator. After thequestion has been transmitted, the dial-up link is automaticallyterminated. If the viewer's question is selected by the moderator, itwill eventually appear in the typed transcript of the interview—togetherwith the celebrity's response.

[0067] Due to the involvement of other viewers in the CELEBRITY CHATchannel, it is difficult to suspend the state of the channel if theviewer switches to another channel and later returns. In the illustratedembodiment, a viewer returning to the CELEBRITY CHAT channel sees onlythe last screenful of question-and-answer dialog.

[0068] A fourth interactive channel is GAMES. A viewer tuning to thischannel is presented with a menu of game options—typically topicallyarranged. Some games are single player. Other games involve a communityof players who are participating in the game. The latter are typicallyscheduled at prearranged times like television programs (e.g. Dungeonsand Dragons, 9:00 p.m. every evening).

[0069] Contests and tournaments can be conducted on the GAMES channel,with sponsors awarding prizes (e.g. a free month of WebTV) tohigh-scorers—either of a single session or over a given period (e.g. amonth).

[0070] Some games may require execution of software applets on theclient terminals, rather than just the rendering of HTML primitives.Such software can be downloaded to the terminal as necessary, or just inadvance of scheduled multi-player games. Since some games requirerelatively large blocks of instructions or data on relatively shortnotice (depending on the turn of events in the game), same is desirablydownloaded in anticipation of likely use, rather than when needed.

[0071] If the selected game is of the single-player variety, then statedata memorializing the status of the game can be stored if the viewerturns to another channel. When the viewer thereafter returns to theGAMES channel, the game can be resumed at the point of interruption.(Again, due to the involvement of other participants in multi-playergames, it is generally impractical to try and permit the viewer toresume an interrupted multi-player game at the point of interruption.)

[0072] A further feature of the illustrated client terminal is toautomatically record favorite broadcast television programs. The clientmonitors the user's viewing habits to determine favorite shows (e.g.StarTrek Voyager, Wednesdays, 6:00 p.m., viewer channel FOX).Thereafter, if the terminal is not activated by the user to watch one ofthese favorites, the terminal notices the event and automatically copiesthe program onto disk, to the extent storage space permits. (MPEGcompression—either software-based, or employing a dedicated MPEGcompressor ASIC—is typically employed.) This stored program is thenlisted by title and length in the electronic program guide, as availablefor viewing on the FAVORITES channel. If the viewer switches to thischannel, the recorded program is played back automatically. The playbackUI of FIG. 5 is selectively presented (e.g. by pressing the Menu buttonon the remote control) to allow the viewer to control playback. Ifseveral favorite programs have been stored, the viewer is firstpresented with a menu screen on the FAVORITES channel by which thedesired program can be selected.

[0073] Recorded programs are not deleted after viewing. However, theirstorage space may be overwritten by other recordings. Recorded programsthat have not been viewed are overwritten as needed, oldest first.Viewed programs are overwritten before non-viewed programs. (Programmingimplementing a variety of more complex rules and policies is typicallyprovided to govern which recorded programs are deleted to providestorage for new programs.)

[0074] Video storage at the client terminal also permits a viewer totake a break from broadcast programming without missing anything (aswould otherwise occur). When a viewer wants to take a break, a DelayProgram button is selected from an Options menu that is controllablypresented on the screen in response to a button on the remote control.When the Delay Program button is activated, the then-tuned program isrouted to the MPEG compressor and copied to disk. When the viewerthereafter returns, the viewer activates a Resume Program button on theOptions menu. Copying of the incoming broadcast continues, butsimultaneous playback of the earlier recorded portion commences and isdisplayed on the screen. The disk thus acts as a circular buffer.

[0075] Yet another feature of the illustrated embodiment is anarrangement by which the system can suggest programming that may beenjoyed by different users. The system compiles profiles of each user'sviewing habits (e.g. Viewer A's favorite shows appear to be (a) 60Minutes, (b) StarTrek Voyager, and (c) Drama and Greg; the profileincludes less-frequently viewed programs as well). Each such profile iscorrelated with other viewers' profiles to find affinity groupings ofusers with similar profiles. Viewing suggestions can then be made basedon the system's determination of other programming that is popular amongother members of the group. For example, from an analysis of theprofiles of viewers most closely correlated with Viewer A, the systemmay note that a significant number also watches Third Rock From the Sun.System records may show that Viewer A has never watched this program andthe system may thus propose (either in response to a viewer's query orautonomously) that Viewer A may enjoy Third Rock From the Sun.

[0076] Desirably, the profiles are based on more than a single favoriteprogram for each viewer. Although a single favorite program could serveas the basis for affinity grouping, this is generally too clumsy ametric (e.g. many viewers of Seinfeld have otherwise divergent viewingpreferences).

[0077] The profiles need not be based on favorite programming alone.Many other factors can be considered in forming affinity groupings, e.g.time-of-day viewing habits, zip code, game/chat/interactive news/jukeboxpreferences/habits, etc.

[0078] From the foregoing it will be recognized that the illustratedsystem redresses many shortcomings of the prior art, and provides agreat number of features not previously available.

[0079] Having described and illustrated the principles of our inventionwith reference to a preferred embodiment and various alternatives, itshould be apparent that the invention is not limited to the detailedarrangements.

[0080] For example, while the disclosure particularly considered use ofvisual user-interfaces, many of the principles detailed above can beapplied equally-well to user interfaces employing other techniques, e.g.gesture-interfaces, audio interfaces, tactile interfaces, etc.

[0081] Similarly, while the detailed embodiment employed certain UIconventions (e.g. the video control panel disappears after PLAY isactivated), other embodiments can employ other UI conventions (e.g. thecontrol panel persists, or is minimized, or becomes more transparent,etc.)

[0082] Several references were made to HTML. This term is meant toinclude not just Hypertext Markup Language per se, but also to encompassother graphical and/or video representation systems by which primitivescan be combined to yield desired static or moving displays.

[0083] The illustrated embodiment employed a wired link to theinteractive network, but other distribution arrangements (e.g. directsatellite broadcast, with telephone return channel) can likewise byused. Similarly, the dial-up link is not exclusive; other arrangements(e.g. MetroCOM, etc.) can be used, depending on the needs of theparticular application.

[0084] Moreover, even a “wired” link to the interactive network needn'tbe of the sort particularly illustrated. With enhanced compressiontechniques and delivery technologies, other arrangements—including plainold telephone service—can alternatively be employed.

[0085] To provide a comprehensive disclosure without unduly lengtheningthis specification, applicants incorporate by reference the disclosureof U.S. Pat. No. 5,648,824, which discloses additional details relatedto video-on-demand systems and related user interfaces.

[0086] While the foregoing discussion has detailed a complete system, itemploys many inventive concepts—each of which is believed patentableapart from the system as a whole.

[0087] In view of the many different embodiments to which theabove-described inventive concepts may be applied, it should berecognized that the detailed embodiments are illustrative only andshould not be taken as limiting the scope of our invention. Rather, weclaim as our invention all such modifications as come within the scopeand spirit of the following claims, and equivalents thereto.

We claim:
 1. A method of presenting video entertainment comprising:defining plural viewing channels; on certain of said channels,presenting television programs; on at least one of said channels,presenting customized dynamic news, said news automatically cyclingthrough plural categories, and presenting to the user news items in saidcategories identified in accordance with stored user news preferences.2. The method of claim 1 which includes receiving user input identifyinga news category to be viewed immediately, and interrupting said cyclingto immediately present news items in said identified category.
 3. Themethod of claim 1 in which said presenting of customized dynamic newsincludes rendering HTML instructions.
 4. The method of claim 1,including listing the customized dynamic news channel in an electronicprogram guide of available programming.
 5. A method of presenting videoentertainment at one of plural user terminals, comprising: definingplural viewing channels; on certain of said channels, presentingtelevision programs; on at least one of said channels, presentinginteractive celebrity chat programming; said celebrity chat programmingbeing produced by: transmitting questions from plural users—throughrespective user terminals, to a moderator—the moderator selectingquestions to be presented to a celebrity; the selected questions andcelebrity responses being transmitted to the user terminal for viewingby a user.
 6. The method of claim 5 including establishing a dial-uplink between said user terminal and a central station for transmissionof the user question, and interrupting said dial-up link thereafter, theselected questions and celebrity responses being transmitted to saiduser terminal by a non-dial-up link, wherein minimal dial-up charges areincurred.
 7. The method of claim 5 in which the a user types a questionon a keyboard associated with the terminal for transmission to themoderator.
 8. The method of claim 5 in which said interactive celebritychat programming presented on the user terminal includes a transcript ofquestions posed by the moderator to the celebrity and the celebrity'sanswers.
 9. The method of claim 5 in which said interactive celebritychat programming presented on the user terminal includes audio.
 10. Themethod of claim 5 in which said interactive celebrity chat programmingpresented on the user terminal includes image data.
 11. The method ofclaim 5, including listing the celebrity chat channel in an electronicprogram guide of available programming.
 12. A method of presenting videoentertainment comprising: defining plural viewing channels; on certainof said channels, presenting television programs; on at least one ofsaid channels, presenting an interactive game, the game comprising acontest sponsored by an advertiser.
 13. The method of claim 12,including awarding prizes for superior achievement in said contest. 14.The method of claim 12, in which the game is a multi-player contest, themethod including awarding at least one prize to a winner of the contest.15. The method of claim 14 wherein the players compete during a contestperiod, and the prize is awarded to one or more high scorers during saidperiod.
 16. The method of claim 12, including downloading client gamesoftware to a user terminal in advance of commencement of the game. 17.The method of claim 12, including anticipatorily downloading to a userterminal code and/or data that are expected—but not certain—to berequired as a user progresses through the game.
 18. The method of claim12, including listing the interactive game channel in an electronicprogram guide of available programming.
 19. A method of presenting videoentertainment comprising: defining plural viewing channels; on certainof said channels, presenting television programs; on at least one ofsaid channels, presenting an interactive jukebox, the jukebox comprisinga user interface for user selection of particular music; transmitting,from a server, data corresponding to the particular music selected bythe user, and presenting same to the user; storing data related to theparticular music selected by a user; and using said stored data topre-select said particular music when the user next visits said channel.20. The method of claim 19 in which the particular music is selected byreference to one or more of the following categories: musical genre,artist, and title.
 21. The method of claim 19, including presentingadditional data relating to a particular music selected by the user. 22.The method of claim 19, including providing a user interface throughwhich the user can order a CD containing a requested musical selection.